Area 46 Delegate

The following is my talk on “Ensuring our Future Through Service” that I will deliver at the Southwest Regional AA Service Assembly in Rogers Arkansas.

The fact that we are at an AA service assembly validates that I am preaching to the choir on the topic of service. We are all here because we know the importance of service to AA to safeguard our own sobriety and ensure that AA will be here for future generations of alcoholics. I’ve also observed that one of the most discussed topics at workshops is how to encourage more participation in general service. Service includes practicing love, tolerance, patience and willingness, especially listening and keeping an open mind in all our affairs. We are required to give of ourselves in service to others without expecting any ‘payback’ or recovering anything in return for A.A. service. Dr. Bob himself once said, more or less in these words, that if we fail to acquire a spirit of service, we will have missed out on the greatest gift A.A. has to offer – the ability to give our sobriety away and so keep it.

Our Declaration of Unity states “This we owe to AA’s future.” But what is “this?” It’s one thing to benefit from the sense of unity that keeps the group strong, but it’s another to declare that we will play our own part to keep the fellowship strong. Now “This” has become a commitment to service in AA. Our commitment in early sobriety may only be to work the steps to our best ability and to stay sober. As we gain confidence in our own sobriety, we see the importance of our Home Group, not only to personal growth and recovery, but how the Group is the corner stone of sobriety to many. Our Home Group is where we may do the greatest good in carrying our message to the newcomer. Bill said “Our Twelfth Step – carrying the message – is the basic service that the A.A. Fellowship gives; this is our principle aim and the main reason for our existence.” We also see that simple acts such as coming early and staying late in service to the Group ensures the continued strength of the Group. Our first participation in monthly Group business meetings may give us a glimpse of AA outside our snug little Home Group. We may decide that service to the Group is the plan for us or we may wish to be of greater service to AA as a whole and naturally progress to the District and the Area but no one in A.A. will try to push such an agenda on you if you’re not interested or ready.

As we become aware of the personal benefits and wish to be of maximum service to AA, what might be impediments to general service?

Outside our Home Group the spirit of rotation is universally observed but can’t you see some connection here also with the often-cited problems associated with the Bleeding Deacon element especially in the individual A.A. groups?

What about adequately financing our Trusted Servants? Service in AA shouldn’t be contingent upon ability to pay our own way. Remember that thin dime Bill dropped in the hat? Financial service to AA goes well beyond paying rent and buying coffee for the Group. Is your GSR adequately financed?

Another troubling aspect is the “watering down” of our Primary Purpose.” I recently heard a Trusted Servant introduce themselves as an Alcoholic-Addict. While I recognize the growing fact that many of todays members are not “exclusively” alcoholic, I find it disconcerting that some still identify this way in an AA meeting. In an interview with Dr. Paul O., he said his story “makes clear the truth that an alcoholic can also be an addict, and indeed that an alcoholic has a constitutional right to have as many problems as he wants! But that doesn’t mean that every A.A. meeting has to be open to a discussion of drugs if it doesn’t want to. Every meeting has the right to say it doesn’t want drugs discussed. People who want to discuss drugs have other places where they can go to talk about that.” We must cling to our singleness of purpose to entice effective Trusted Servants.

Service to Alcoholics Anonymous has become my way of life and I credit much of my continued sobriety with that service. Service is the fuel for my rocket to the 4th dimension.

Trust our Trusted Servants, trust the process, and trust God. Everything else will take care of its self.